


Living a Dream

by GillO



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-08-21
Updated: 2010-08-21
Packaged: 2017-10-11 04:44:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 919
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/108539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GillO/pseuds/GillO
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set during <i>Something Blue</i> - Dawn remembers the trip that didn't happen when she went with Buffy and Spike to the mall to buy a wedding planner and a cake ornament.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Living a Dream

Looking back, Dawn could remember one moment of perfect happiness. Of her own, that is, and nothing that endangered her soul, assuming a Key had a soul. Her jury was privately out on that, but it wasn't going to be up for discussion any time soon. Any more than to what extent any of her memories had actually happened. She remembered them, Buffy remembered them. Spike probably remembered some of them too, though he might not admit it.

Once, aged three, she had very nearly been a flower girl. It didn't happen. First because she had never actually been three and second because soon-to-be Uncle Jake had been to somewhere called Vegas and met another lady so hadn't married Aunt Liza at all in the end.

That was the only time Dawn came close to being in a wedding party until the evening Buffy bounced into the house on her way from the Magic Box to Giles's place to tell her mom the exciting news. And let her little sister who wasn't at all eavesdropping no matter what some people said know too.

Buffy was going to the mall with Spike to check out flowers and cakes and party favors. Would Mom like to come?

For some reason Mom wouldn't. She looked oddly wan, not at all right for someone who's just discovered her older daughter is about to have a big wedding to a surprisingly not uncool man. Well, vampire. And perhaps Mom was too old to recognise the true hotness of him. Not that Dawn thought about him like that. Because that was all kinds of gross. Like kissing and other eeuw stuff.

Shopping at the mall wasn't gross, though – far from it. It only took a little strategic whining to get Mom to suggest Buffy take her with. And Spike almost wasn't snarky at all when they picked him up (Not picked up in a car of course, because Buffy was such a liability behind the wheel. Trust _her_ sister to be useless.) OK, so he called her a tasty snack on the side, but that was pretty welcoming for him.

The mall was a wonderland as always. Thanksgiving was just over so the decorations for Christmas were up, and there were mounds of toys and stuff she was way too old to be interested in any more but still looked cool. Spike encouraged her, picking up and twirling shiny decorations, tickling them under her chin then whisking them away, till she was helpless with giggles.

Even Buffy smiled indulgently for a change. Shopping with her sister wasn't usually such fun. In the end, though, she was the one to break the magic. "Honey, we need to get back soon, you know. I'm worried about Giles all on his own."

"All on his own with the whisky," muttered Spike, just within Dawn's hearing. Then, oddly, he brightened up, "You're right, pet. We should get back before dear old Rupert's finished it all. I mean, before he gets lonely. Let's go to this special store of yours, get a planning book at least."

The bridal store was the best. Cake decorations – the cutest blond bride 'n groom set. Sparkly purple boxes for favors. Adorable little flower girl outfits, not that Dawn was bitter about Aunt Liza running off overseas to get married in the end. Not at all.

They strolled around the stationery department first, picking up a Wedding Planner book, a couple of Beautiful Bride magazines and a handout from a printing company which could produce wonderful invitations embossed with lace and doves. Spike muttered about adding a few tasteful drops of blood to the mix, but both Summers women were strong-minded enough to rise above this obvious bait. Anyway, the best was yet to come, and it was important to keep their vampire relaxed. They took the elevator to the third floor.

Bridal dresses. Mountains of lace, drifts of silk chiffon, satin corsets trimmed with pearls. Even Spike looked interested in the latter. The expression of rapture on Buffy's face was kinda scary, but he just hugged her closer. There was some smooching and smacking noises which Dawn loftily ignored, while the shop clerk politely looked elsewhere. After a while they stopped. Sorta.

Above all, though, the bridesmaid section entranced her. Long gowns, like prom dresses but sparklier. Pink gowns, with marabou trim. Peach-colored dresses in shiny satin with gold sequins. Frills, furbelows, fantastic fripperies. She leapt from one beautiful model to the next, ecstatically visualising herself, inexplicably taller and with significantly more frontal development than she yet had, leading Buffy down the aisle, the center of everyone's attention. Yes, some might want to look at the bride, but _she_ would be hidden by the glory that was Dawn.

Buffy and Spike stood, closely entwined and indulgent, watching her excitement. Spike nuzzled her ear in between making suggestions.

"That's right, pet. That lilac would look good on you. With those shoes – what colour did you call them, teal?" Buffy kicked him.

"Oh, right. Sorry. Try those silver thingamabobs instead. The ones with the fluffy stuff on them. Go try it all on. Your sis and I can wait here, in this corner."

Spike steered his fiancée away towards a couch in a shaded corner. Dawn skipped and followed the saleswoman to the changing cubicle. Her guide carried the most beautiful garments in the world, one of which might become her own. This was true, ultimate happiness.

Dawn never quite forgave Willow for reversing her spell.


End file.
